To the Right Honble the Earl of Dartmouth one of his Majesty's principal Secretarys of State.¹

The Memorial of the Freeholders, Merchants Planters and others his Majesty's antient and loyal Subjects now in the District of Quebec in the Province of Quebec in North America.

Humbly Sheweth.

That after the Capitulation of Canada and the definitive Treaty of Peace by which this Province was ceded to Great Britain his Majesty was graciously pleased by his royal Proclamation of the 7th October 1763, to give express power & direction to his Governors of the four several Provinces therein mentioned, (whereof this Province is one) with the advice and Consent of the Members of his Councils, to summon and call general Assembly's, for making constituting and ordaining Laws Statutes and Ordinances for the public peace, Wellfare and good Government thereof as near as might be agreeable to the Laws of England And also was graciously pleased to declare and promise, That in the mean time and untill such Assemblys could be called all Persons inhabiting in or resorting to the said Colonies should have the enjoyment and benefit of the Laws of England.
That your Memorialists thus encouraged, having settled themselves, purchased Lands, planted and improved them, and engaged deeply in Commerce in this Province, and humbly conceiving it at this Time seasonable & expedient to supplicate his Majesty to accomplish his most gracious Promise, Have prepared their most humble Petition to his Majesty (which they take the liberty to transmitt herewith to Your Lordship) praying that he would be graciously pleased to order his Governor with the Advice and Consent of his Majesty's Council to call a general Assembly of the People in such manner
and of such Constitution and form as his Majesty in his royal Wisdom shall think proper to direct.

* * * *

Your Memorialists have also the Honour to represent to Your Lordship, That the Trade Cultivation and Prosperity of the Colony have been much interrupted by the sequestration of the upper Indian trading Posts, Lake

¹ Canadian Archives, Q 10, p. 56.

p. 1092

Champlain and the Coast of Labradore from this Government, by which not only the natural resources of the Province have been greatly restrained but many of the Inhabitants as well old as new Subjects have thereby been deprived of their personal Property and even of their real Estates which the latter held and enjoyed for many Years before the Conquest and which the former purchased on the faith of the Capitulation and Treaty of Peace, And Your Memorialists will venture to assure Your Lordship That if the Province is not restored to its antient Limits and the parts which have been dismembered from it reunited to that Government to which nature points they should belong, and all be put under some salutary and well judged Regulations.
The Morals of the Indians will be debauched, and the Fur-Trade as well as the Winter Seal Fishery for ever lost not only to this Province but to Great Britain, as neither can be carried on to advantage but by the Inhabitants of Canada. Your Memorialists might add much more in support of the Subject matter of this Memorial as well as on many other Matters very interesting to the Province, but as your Memorialists will not incroach on your Lordships Time and Patience they conclude by humbly and ardently praying your Lordship to be pleased to lay their most humble Petition herewith transmitted before his Majesty and humbly intreating Your Lordships Intercession and good Offices in that behalf as well as in behalf of the other important Objects pointed out to your Lordship in this their Memorial, And reposing themselves entirely on your Lordships known honour, Understanding and Uprightness.
They as in Duty bound will ever Pray &c—

Quebec 31st Decemr 1773.

A Committee named at a Meeting of his Majesty's antient Subjects residing in the District of Quebec.